The present invention is directed to a process for the conversion of petroleum hydrocarbons. More particularly it is directed to a process for the disproportionation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Still more particularly, it is directed to a vapor-phase process for the disproportionation of alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons.
The invention pertains to a process for treating mineral oils which results in a chemical alteration of at least some of the hydrocarbon molecules of the mineral oils to form mineral oils having different properties and different chemical structures. These different chemical compounds result from the intramolecular migration of alkyl groups. For example in the disproportionation of toluene, there results benzene and the various xylenes. ##STR1##